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Friday, January 23, 2015

What am I passionate about?

I went to a lunch presentation the other day about leaving law and becoming an entrepreneur. As a hard worker, being my own boss and starting something has it's appeal. I think I could be successful if I really put my mind to it. When I started my nursery art business over 5 years ago, it took off before I knew what was happening. That being said, my Husband is a business owner, and I see how much work it is. I am not naive enough to think you just get to work when you want and success will come. So for this point in my life, a job with semi-regular hours and healthy insurance is a good fit.

All that aside, the speaker was very interesting and I am always interested to hear people's stories of how they got started, why the left their $$ career, etc. One thing she did mention that struck a cord with me was how fulfilled she feels now in her new venture, even if she is super busy with her start up company. She talked about her previous career in Big Law and how she felt like she was not being a good Mom, good wife or good lawyer. Although she had everything she had dreamed of, she just didn't feel fulfilled. She wasn't passionate about what she was doing.

So on the way home yesterday I started thinking about what I could do that I was really passionate about. And I cam to the conclusion that I am not really passionate about anything. I came up with a whole list of things that I like to do, but nothing I am really passionate about that gets me fired up.

-I like to read parenting books and articles and try the latest child-rearing techniques out, in an attempt to have my only child not turn out like the stereotypical only child-I like to bargain shop and thrift (when I have time)-I like to mix high and low, as in an entire thrifted outfit mixed with my LV Neverfull-I like to share my psychotic levels of research on non-important topics such as lunchboxes for my pre-schooler, which I can do via this blog-I like to think about decorating, working out and trying new makeup, but I rarely execute these things-I like to craft and paint, when I have time, which is never-I like to write random blog posts about how I am feeling, which probably matter to no one and I should just start a journal instead of spewing randomness on the internet

Basically, I feel like I am not passionate about very much. Which kind of made me sad, I mean, aren't people supposed to have something they love doing, besides hanging out with their family, going to work, and making cocktails?

And then I started to think that was ridiculous. I think this "let's feel passionate about something and you should only do what you love" bullshit is a new-age generational thing. I mean, think about your grandparents and parents. They probably didn't or don't LOVE their jobs, but it was what they did. They worked hard to provide for their family, send their kids to college, take an occasional vacation and maybe leave them some $ when they died. I think it is kind of unrealistic to think that we are all going to be out there working in careers that we totally love, are passionate about, and fulfill us.

My job fills out all the check boxes that you would want. Nice people, interesting work, decent working schedule, decent income, and benefits. Which my self-employed Husband does not have. Would I like to find something I am passionate about? Yes. Do I think I need a hobby and some more friends? Yes. But who has time for that? Maybe a passion is something I can develop after Hadley goes to college?

3 comments:

I feel like using the term "I'm passionate" is such an extreme. People can't live their lives in extreme measures, it would be exhausting. I really like the work I do, I know I make a difference and it's fulfilling, but for work. It's not fulfilling for my life. I feel like what is fulfilling is having a job I don't hate, and having my family and friends around and just generally enjoying the day-to-day. Honestly I feel like people who say they are truly "passionate" about just one thing are kind of lying, or trying to market and define themselves by something, I'm not just one thing. I work for our country, I'm a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister. I'm passionate about being all of those, not just one thing.

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Hi, there!

I'm Kimberly, and this blog is about finding balance as a mom that works. I am passionate about both my family and my career, and I am constantly finding ways to minimize the effort it takes to get it all done, while maximizing my family time. Hopefully you will find some of my obsessive tendencies helpful in your own life.

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